In the development of our country, the use of national seeds in agriculture is as vital as technological investments in the defense industry. Pioneering in many fields, Selçuk University has taken an important step in this regard. Hybrid sugar beet and hybrid sunflower seeds developed by the Faculty of Agriculture will take their place in the market in the near future.

Selçuk University Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Field Crops Lecturer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rahim Ada said that their work on the development of varieties demanded by the private sector in agricultural production continues. Stating that there is no registered domestic variety in sugar beet in our country, Ada said, "As a result of our work, we have reached a certain stage. We have signed a contract for the transfer of the improved seed to a national organization operating in the agricultural sector. The beet seed varieties we have developed are suitable for the conditions of the Central Anatolia Region. Konya, which has 4 sugar factories within its borders, meets 40 percent of sugar beet production in Turkey. The seed varieties we have developed in our faculty will contribute significantly to this production." 

"OUR FARMERS WILL PRODUCE LOCAL SEEDS"

Stating that the work on sunflower seeds has been going on for a long time, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ada said, "We will start to see the varieties we have prepared in line with the demands of the private sector in the market in the coming years. In sunflower, especially the Thrace Region is known, but in recent years, production areas have shifted towards Central Anatolia. We will be able to see our varieties suitable for the geographical structure of the Central Anatolia Region in the market from now on. We will develop drought and drought-resistant varieties and offer them to the private sector. Thus, our farmers in the region will contribute to the national economy by producing the varieties we have developed with our own means."

"WE HAVE TAKEN AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR NATIONAL PRODUCTION"

Emphasizing that there are many alternatives in sugar beet and sunflower seeds, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ada said, "We will have varieties suitable for all climatic conditions and soil structure. Because the genetic mechanism is in our hands. We can direct these varieties as we wish. This is the biggest feature of hybrid plants. Our priority was to enter the sugar beet and sunflower sectors in Turkey. Global companies own 100 percent of the seed rights in sugar beet and 90 percent or more in sunflower. Our primary goal is to break this dominance, especially in Central Anatolia, and to develop varieties for this purpose. Selçuk University Faculty of Agriculture has taken an important step in making agricultural production domestic and national."